Top 10 Surprises of the NBA Season

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Posted on 04.11.11 10:40 PM UTC

1. Jersey Trading

The Nets' Russian Billionaire owner Mikhail Prokhorov isn’t one to do anything half-hearted. Over the summer he hung a giant billboard outside of Madison Square Garden that read 'The Blueprint for Greatness' and had a picture of himself and minority owner Jay-Z. The Nets then made big pushes for all the major free agents but weren’t able to land a single one of them. Instead, they wound up with a bunch of bit parts and were the laughingstock of the NBA.

But the Nets and Prokhorov might get the last laugh. Although they failed to land Carmelo Anthony and again looked like the ugly stepsister to the Knicks, instead they got one of the best point guards in the league in a shocking trade. The Jazz were afraid they would lose Deron Williams to free agency after next season so they dealt him to the Nets in exchange for Derrick Favors, Devin Harris and two first-round picks.

The trade is a big gamble since, in order to convince him to sign a long-term deal, the Nets now must show they can compete in the near future. But getting Williams is a step in the right direction and the type of bold move the Nets need to create buzz before they move to their new home in Brooklyn after next season.